Nightsisters
by Iceheart
Summary: A mini-fic based on the Dathomiri culture introduced in Dave Wolverton's 'The Courtship Of Princess Leia'. This is un-beta'd like my first story, but definately not as funny.


Arden Mei clutched the crude harness on her rancor as the beast charged through the   
jungle. Rain poured on the earth in torrents as the pair made it's way through the tangled   
vines and trees toward the palpable energy mass that had engulfed an elevated clearing   
directly ahead of them. A Nightstster was in the area, and it was Arden Mei's duty to stop   
her.  
  
The rancor skidded to a stop at the edge of the energy mass, reluctant to proceed. Arden   
Mei slid off her mount's back and headed into the clearing, all her defenses up and ready   
for anything she may face. Arden Mei was the leader of her tribe, after all, more skilled in   
the art of manipulating the field of energy that permeated all life of Dathomir than anyone   
else in her village.  
  
A dark, hooded figure stood at the opposite edge of the clearing, her arms raised and head   
thrown back. Blue lightning was entering her body from her head and exiting from the   
palms of her hands... or was it the other way around? A sharp cackle pierced the air, and   
thunder cracked to compliment it's melody.  
  
The figure raised it's head to meet it's new opponent. Arden Mei gathered her own energy   
around her, ready to defend and strike at a moment's notice. But that was not enough to   
combat the blow of the lightning that hit her chest and sent her sprawling against a nearby   
tree. The world wavered before fading from view as the Tribal leader fell limp.  
  
~*~  
  
"You must come immediately!" a silver-haired woman cried as she entered the main   
building that sat at the center of the Tribe of the Winding Stream's village. A group of 5   
women an one teenage girl who were sitting around the fire lept to their feet at this   
woman's intrusion.  
  
"What is your business here, Bethuela Li? Aren't you supposed to be with the party that   
was sent to protect the village from the Nightsister's threat? They are not back yet." The   
tallest woman stood in front of Bethulea Li with her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"The Nightsister took control of Arden Mei's rancor, and tore the rest of the party to   
shreads. I alone survived" Bethuela panted, terror shining in her eyes.  
  
The group of women immediately gathered their weapons and dashed out to survey the   
ambush.  
  
The girl remained standing where she was, however. She rocked back onto her heels and   
raised an eyebrow at the frantic woman standing before her.  
  
"All were ambushed by one Nightsister? And only you survived?"   
  
The silver-haired woman shook her head and hurried out to join the group who had   
already mounted their rancors. Jacelyn Tan had noticed the split-second glance Bethuela   
Li had shot her, daring the girl to challenge her story. Jacelyn Tan sat down beside the   
fire.  
  
~*~  
  
Arden Mei came to briefly, the pain hitting her like a wall and causing her body to spasm   
and her stomach to turn up it's scant contents. A few soothing words and a hot liquid   
poured down her throat made the blackness surround and engulf her yet again, this time   
mercifully.  
  
When the light returned again, the pain had subsided greatly, but was still made the   
slightest movement unbearable. She could see a silver-haired woman crouched over the   
fire in the center of the small, dark hut.  
  
There was a scuffle at the door, and the silver mane went to answer it. Or rather barricade   
the door, as a small, freckled face poked through.  
  
"I'd like to see her" came the flat demand.  
  
"And be tainted more than you already are, you young vermin? Go away, or I will call on   
someone to take you away." Bethuela Li snapped the door covering shut, amid the   
protests from the other side.  
  
"Aha, the Nightsister has awakened" Bethuela Li snapped at her patient. Arden Mei didn't   
understand, and told her caretaker so.  
  
"Don't understand? All that dark energy clouded you brain, dearie? For shame, using   
your own rancor to slaughter your sisters, and the beast's own children, and then playing   
innocent after the fact. You are scum, Arden Mei."  
  
Arden Mei shook her head, and gasped at the wave of pain that washed over her. "I'm not   
a Nightsister" she whispered.  
  
"Oh really?" Bethuela Li spat. "We find you covered in bruises in the midst of the   
carnage, still very much alive while all around you are dead, and you expect us to believe   
you aren't a Nightsister?"  
  
Arden Mei was now terrified. Was this what her whole village thought?  
  
"Not that it will matter in a few hours. Now that you are awake, you can be exiled, along   
with that little snot you have for a niece." Arden Mei rolled her eyes toward the silver-  
mane. This was not right at all. Had she tapped into Dark Energy and slaughtered her   
sisters? She doubted it, since she had seen the actual Nightsister, it was the Nightsister   
that had done this to her.   
  
"I'd like to see my husband and children" she whispered.  
  
"Please. You will not be allowed to corrupt the tribe anymore." Bethuela spat into the   
fire, making the flame momentarily spark.   
  
This was very wrong, and Arden Mei recognized it. Under her rules, a sister who had   
tapped into dark energy was allowed to say goodbye to her family before being exiled, and   
her wounds were healed before she was sent out. Arden Mei wondered why she was still   
injured, it would be fairly easy to heal her wounds... but then she remembered that Jacelyn   
Tan was the only one in the village who knew how to heal effectively. Jacelyn Tan was   
her niece and protégé, and routinely proves herself as a talent that will surpass Arden Mei   
with time. But that was no reason for the girl to be exiled with her, Jacelyn Tan had never   
shown any tendency towards the dark path.  
Bethuela Li approached Arden Mei with a steaming bowl.  
"Come now, drink this and rest, for you have a long journey ahead!" The woman cackled,   
which made Arden Mei twitch and the broth trickle down her chin. The silver-mane   
turned back to the fire, and Arden Mei could see, in the moments before the darkness took   
her, the bruise that trailed down the woman's neck. 


End file.
